Breathless
by KingofSummer
Summary: 35 moments that left Renly and Loras quite out of breath.
1. Chapter 1

The Storm Lands certainly earned their name, Loras thought bitterly as he ascended the steps towards his new Lord. His wet clothes clung uncomfortably to his skin, his wet curls falling across his face and dripping onto his already soaked shoulders.

The journey from Highgarden had been a miserable one, the glorious sunshine and orchards of the Reach turning to dark clouds, bleak cliffs and eventually pelting, relentless rain as they approached his new home.

Loras' frown deepened and his throat tightened as he remembered that he would not be seeing Highgarden for quite some time; this was his new home for the next few years.

He stared determinedly ahead and fought back tears; this was bad enough without humiliating himself by crying like a little girl in front of Lord Renly. His frown turned into a bitter sneer at the thought of his new lord, hidden from view by throngs of people milling about the hall. His father had been positively ecstatic when Lord Renly had agreed to take on Loras as his squire.

"The younger brother to the King!" His father had boomed, evidently expecting Loras to react with similar enthusiasm.

Loras had only stared in dismay. Lord _Renly_? Everybody knew Lord Renly had only been given his position because he was the King's brother. He was handsome, and could charm a snake with his words, but he had never been in battle and never even made it past the first tilt in jousts! There was nothing he could teach Loras, whose skill with a sword had already earned him quite the reputation in the Reach.

His father had mistaken his sullen silence for joy and had called the servants to bring wine to celebrate. Loras shouldn't have been surprised. His father was so thick sometimes it wouldn't surprise anyone if he rode a horse off a cliff like his own father.

Loras sniggered audibly at the thought, earning him a few curious glances from the guards who were accompanying him on his journey.

Loras quietened and turned his eyes determinedly to the floor, feeling sudden shame at thinking such ill of his father, who he after all would miss dearly. Still, he couldn't help but blame him for sending him to squire for a pompous peacock like Lord Renly.

His thoughts turned to his grandmother, the only person who had shared his horror at the news. She was always very tough on Loras and scolded him for being arrogant perhaps a little more than she did his siblings, but Loras knew it was only driven by her desire for him to succeed. She had seen him practice and recognized that Loras was unusually talented, and had seemed genuinely shocked when his father had announced that Loras was being sent to squire for Lord Renly.

Laughter in the hall brought Loras back to reality. It appeared that Renly was solving some local farmer's troubles with the grace and charm he was renowned for. His people clearly seemed to love and respect Renly, if the fond smiles and amiable chuckles surrounding him were any indication.

Finally the crowd parted to let him through, and Loras got his first glimpse of his new Lord. He was slightly taken aback when he saw that Lord Renly could not have been more than fifteen. Somehow in all the talk of his gallantry and charm no one had mentioned to Loras that he would be squiring for someone only a few years older than himself. He was certainly handsome, Loras thought with some bitterness, and the smile on his face seemed genuine enough. For some reason that made Loras angrier than it should have.

Loras was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable; he had been prepared to hate Lord Renly, but hating an adult and hating a boy only a few years his senior were quite different ideas.

"My Lord, let me present Loras of House Tyrell, your new squire." His guard shoved him gently forward when Loras remained standing where he was.

"My Lord." Loras mumbled, bending the knee to his Lord has he had been told to countless times by various members of his household.

"Rise, Loras! Welcome to Storm's End!" Lord Renly exclaimed, standing up and beaming at his new squire with that infuriating grin. "I hope you've had a pleasant journey?"

Loras would have much liked to tell him to go eat shit at that, but didn't think that would earn him very many favors.

"Yes my Lord." Loras mumbled, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor to keep from glaring at Lord Renly like he knew he probably would if he looked up.

Lord Renly evidently mistook his insolence as exhaustion for he then called for Loras to be shown his new chambers, promising to show him around the castle once he was rested.

Loras couldn't think of anything he'd like to do less but thanked him anyway with all the Highgarden grace and courtesy his grandmother had tried so hard to instill in him in the past ten years.

Although Loras was as exhausted as Renly had guessed and the bed in his chambers beckoned invitingly, he was too wound up with misery to sleep. Instead he sat on the window ledge and listened to the angry roar of the sea as the rain continued its ruthless assault on the Storm Lands.

He must have dozed off, for he found himself waking with a start at the sudden knock on his door. He climbed down from the window and went to open the door reluctantly. As he expected, Lord Renly stood on the other side, wearing the same radiant smile as before. Loras wondered if it ever got old, pretending to be so nice to everyone; although, a small part of him had to acknowledge that some of Lord Renly's kindness did not seem to be pretense.

"Loras! I hope you've found your chambers to your liking?" He asked.

"Yes my Lord. Thank you. I think I'll be comfortable here." Loras heard the bitterness in his words even as they left his mouth and hoped Renly wouldn't hear it. He felt bad being rude when Renly was only trying to be polite.

However if Renly had heard any insolence in his tone he ignored it, and seemed pleased with his answer.

"I promised I would show you the castle!" Renly said even as he started down the corridor. "Come! I have just time to show you before supper."

Loras sighed softly and made to follow his Lord, when Renly suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around, sending Loras almost crashing into him.

"Although," Lord Renly began hesitantly, "you might want to close that window first. The wind is very strong and has a tendency to change direction sometimes. You wouldn't believe the things that have been blown through open windows in my chambers. I even found a dead possum once. Although it might have been a cat…I couldn't really tell, it must have been thrown around a bit before landing on my dresser…"

Loras gaped at him in horror before whirling around towards his chambers. He had only made it a few steps when he heard a soft chuckle from behind. He turned to face Lord Renly and saw the humor dancing in his eyes.

He heard a few nervous chuckles escape his own mouth even as a hot flush spread up his neck at the way he had so easily walked into that jest. He stared determinedly down at the floor as he followed Renly down the hall, his Lord still laughing quietly, all the while cursing himself for being so gullible.

He tried to pay attention as Renly showed him around the castle but found his attention wandering, as the only place he truly wanted to see was the training yard and as Renly pointed out, these were no conditions in which to go out in. Loras would have gone anyway but trust Lord Precious here to not want to get his clothes wet.

Loras immediately felt a little ashamed for thinking so ill of Lord Renly; after all he had shown him nothing but kindness and respect and Loras responded by calling him names.

Lord Renly must have noticed him staring morosely out the window for he stopped in his tracks and laid a gentle hand on Loras' shoulder.

"I know it must be hard, Loras, leaving your family behind like that." He began.

Loras had to muster all his willpower to stop himself from snorting. What could Lord Renly possibly know about _that_? Instead he forced himself to meet Renly's gaze, reeling back slightly at the deep blue eyes that faced him. He could have sworn they had been green earlier, although if truth be told he had been trying to look anywhere but directly at the Lord he was so determined not to like, a notion that was quickly faltering.

"And of course right now Storm's End must resemble the pits of the Seven Hells compared to Highgarden, but it's not always so bad. The worst of the storms are usually at night and it's really quite beautiful in the daylight. You can even start your training tomorrow if you like, the storm should have blown itself out by then." Renly's face brightened as he thought of something. "Oh! And I can show you the top of the battlements once it's nice out. We'd get blown right off if we went right now but it's actually my favorite place in the castle. I think you'll like it."

Loras couldn't honestly think of anything worse than standing on a wall with a 200-foot drop towards crashing waves in front of him but he smiled at Lord Renly anyways, and it might have been the first genuine smile to grace his face since he left Highgarden.

Renly smiled back and gave his shoulder another squeeze before continuing down the hall.

"Have you never been to Highgarden, my Lord?" Loras couldn't help but catch the bait; any mention of his home had him swelling with pride.

"I have not, Loras, but I have heard of its beauty and I would quite like to see it someday." Renly replied. "My brother is forever going on about fruit so juicy they explode in your mouth. Melons, apples, peaches… Although, if I don't plan on getting quite so fat as him I suppose I might do well to stay away!" Renly laughed, and Loras realized with a start that the brother he was jesting about was the King. He thought for the second time that day that Lord Renly's wit might prove to be quite entertaining. He couldn't help but chuckle himself although he felt quite odd laughing at the King right in front of his brother, even if he had been to one to launch the insult.

"Anyhow," Renly began as they rounded a corner, "I supposed you're quite famished. I could eat a live rat myself! Although…" he continued darkly, "the Tyrells already forced me to eat rat once and I can't say I'm willing to repeat the experience."

Loras stopped cold in his tracks at that, his body growing tense in horror at the mention of the Siege of Storm's End, led by his own father. He quickly remembered that the main reason he had been sent here to squire was to mend bridges between the Tyrells and the Baratheons, and any friendly actions from Lord Renly were surely only formalities.

"I…I'm sorry, my Lord..." He stuttered, knowing full well he had been barely a babe at the time of the siege and clearly not responsible for it and yet not knowing what else to say.

Renly only rolled his eyes.

"Oh lighten up!" He said, reaching to grab Loras' arm. "I'm just playing with you!"

And with that he dragged Loras into the bustling dining hall, where the greetings and curtsies and bows aimed at Renly gave Loras enough time for his cheeks to resume their normal color.

Loras thought with consternation that although Renly seemed to possess the same ability to tease him mercilessly that his own brothers did, he also had the skill to get under his skin; something only his grandmother, the Queen of Thorns, had so far been able to accomplish.

The thought did little to settle Loras' nerves as he took his seat on Lord Renly's left side. Things were done more casually in Storm's End it seemed, and it was not unusual for a squire to sit next to his Lord.

Loras tried to pay attention to the conversation around him; after all, these were Lords and Ladies conversing around him and he was not a squire but for a day. However, he couldn't help but stare questioningly at all the faces around the tables. His gaze eventually came to rest on a group of girls sitting close together, straight blond hair flowing down their backs and matching sneers ruining their otherwise pretty faces.

Lannisters, Loras was sure. He had never been to King's Landing or Casterly Rock but enough Lannisters had visited Highgarden that Loras would recognize them anywhere. He specifically remembered one fat Uncle something or other that passed gas so much even the roses of Highgarden couldn't hide his stink.

"Lannisters"

Loras jumped slightly at the sound of Renly's voice in his ear. He turned to his Lord and saw him throw a disdainful look towards the ladies Loras had just been looking at.

Renly turned his head back slightly and whispered conspiratorially, "Robert sent them here hoping one of them would strike my fancy and I would marry her, to further our allegiance with the Lannisters…and their money."

Loras laughed uncomfortably at that, it seemed perfectly in character for the King and yet he felt that perhaps it wasn't his place to know that kind of information at all. Yet he couldn't help but turn to Lord Renly with a wicked smile on his face, his Lord's earlier jests towards him having made him bolder.

"And which one of them do you prefer, my Lord?" He asked innocently.

Renly only threw Loras a mock terrified look at that, making Loras reach for his cup less he burst out in laughter.

"Have you ever been to King's Landing, Loras?" Renly asked, once Loras had recovered himself.

"No I have not, my Lord." Loras replied. "I would like to see it, although it is said to stink very badly."

"Although," he continued, "if the Lannisters of King's Landing fart quite so much as the ones from Casterly Rock then I would understand where the stink came from…"

Renly only stared at him in shock for a few moment and Loras realized he had made a grave mistake. Of course Renly was young and friendly but that didn't mean he could talk to him the same way he talked to his brothers. He was preparing for an apology when Renly suddenly threw his head back and burst out in laughter, making several people around him jump in surprise.

Loras looked at him in surprise before starting to laugh uncontrollably himself. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Lannister girls glaring and that only made him laugh harder, holding on to the edge of the table and gasping for breath as he acknowledged at the back of his mind that Storm's End might not be so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

"Turns out I was wrong about my weather predictions." Renly muttered darkly to himself, looking out the open window at the storm raging battle against the castle. He loved Storm's End, and he even found some kind of melancholy beauty in the storms but even he couldn't help but turn a little sour after days upon days of relentless, pelting rain.

"Indeed my Lord." His squire replied miserably from the window ledge. Loras' normally graceful curls had gone wild around his head due to the wind and rain, giving him the distinct appearance of some kind of feral cat, perched as he was in the window.

Renly chuckled quietly at that, imagining Loras' horror at being compared to such a gentle creature. His new squire had only been at Storm's End for a day but already Renly could tell that Loras possessed an outrageous amount of that Tyrell arrogance. He had been unable to begin his training had Renly had said he could, instead spending the day following closely on Renly's heels as he tended to various lordship duties. Although Renly suspected it was more out of fear of getting lost rather than any sense of duty, he was still glad of Loras' company and found he enjoyed his new squire tremendously. Loras had a sharp tongue and quick wit and although Renly had never met the Queen of Thorns, if the stories about Loras' grandmother were true then he felt sure she must have been an influence in his upbringing.

He heard a sigh from window and looked up from the letter he was supposed to be reading. Loras had his legs tucked under him with his head resting against the wall as he stared morosely out at the crashing sea. His clothes were getting damp from the rain but he didn't seem to care. Renly couldn't blame him; it was so hot in the castle every window had been thrown open regardless of the rain.

Renly felt a pang of sympathy for his new squire. Although he was glad Loras had come to Storms' End, he knew the boy must miss his family terribly. To top it all off, he was being welcomed by shit weather that kept him locked inside all day. Lord Mace had raved endlessly about Loras' skill with a sword and Renly was quite keen to see if there was any truth behind the Lord's words although there was little chance of that happening in this weather.

He turned his gaze back to the parchment in front of him, words and letters blurring uselessly as his thoughts wandered and his mind refused to focus on the task at hand. Suddenly, lightning burst across the evening sky with such a fierce golden hue that Renly was momentarily startled as the deep thunder crashed around them, sending Loras scrambling to his feet.

Renly could see that Loras was immediately embarrassed at his reaction, sitting calmly back down on the window ledge and pretending nothing had happened.

Renly stifled a laugh; although he barely knew Loras, he could tell the boy was fiercely proud and would not react well to being laughed at, however sympathetic Renly had meant to be.

Instead, Renly made a show of folding up the letter he had been reading, sliding it under another pile of unread letters to be dealt with at some other time. He smiled as an idea took seed in his mind; he had promised to show Loras the battlements, and although it would be madness to climb up there in such weather, there was another spot in the castle that he thought Loras might quite enjoy. He reached discreetly into the bottom drawer of his desk and fumbled about a bit before pulling out a set of keys and slipping it into his pocket.

"Loras," He called, rising from his desk. "Follow me."

Loras gave him a curious glance at that but slid down off the window ledge like he was told and followed his Lord dutifully.

Renly led Loras down so many corridors, staircases and hallways that he was quite sure Loras would have been lost were it not for him; and yet, Renly knew this castle so well that every stone was imprinted in his mind and he could have made his way back with his eyes closed.

"Are you going to lock me in the dungeons my Lord?" Loras asked in mock fright as they descended yet another darkened staircase.

Renly burst out laughing and only glanced cryptically back at Loras. He knew Loras must be terribly confused as to why Renly was dragging him through these gloomy and damn hallways but he could also see the curiosity on his squire's face. As they rounded a corner Renly reached up to grab a torch from its place on the wall, at which Loras couldn't help but look at him questionably. Renly only smiled once more; the need for the torch would become apparent to Loras soon enough.

They walked down the length of the corridor and came to a halt in front of a very ancient looking door. Renly handed the torch to Loras and reached into his pocket for the keys. He hadn't been down here in so long he didn't even remember which key to use. Loras looked at him curiously as he tried a few keys on the padlock and pushed the door with no luck.

"Is this the part where I scream for help, my Lord?" Loras asked as Renly finally found the right key and pushed the door open, its hinges squeaking loudly.

"Who would hear you?" Renly replied darkly, reaching to take to torch from his squire.

Loras chuckled but it seemed a bit forced, and, glancing back at him, Renly could see the nervousness in his eyes. Renly was reminded that even though Loras was arrogant and a bit insolent, behind all the bravado he was still only a boy of ten. He gave Loras a reassuring smile and turned to walk through the door, his squire following closely on his heels.

They walked down a pitch black hallway, eventually reaching a staircase. As they descended the seemingly endless steps the stones became progressively damper, until they reached the bottom and their feet were soaked from the water lapping at the stone floor.

As they made their way down the watery tunnel it became progressively brighter, and eventually Renly was able to make out the dark, stormy night sky in front of them. After only a few more steps the tunnel opened up around them into a large cavern, waves crashing onto the ledge they were standing on and the night sky flashing directly in front of them through the opening on the other side.

Renly turned as he heard Loras gasp, and smiled when he saw the younger boy's amber eyes grow wide and his jaw drop open.

"Better than the dungeons?" He teased.

"Way better my Lord!" Loras replied, his eyes glittering with excitement.

Renly smiled and shuffled along the ledge until he found the place he was looking for; a small nook in the cavern wall, large enough to seat two people. They sat down companionably side by side, legs dangling from the ledge and their toes skimming the icy water as salty mist sprayed in their faces.

Renly remembered the first time Stannis had showed him the cave. He had been only three years old, and much less brave than Loras. He had cowered behind Stannis, holding on to his older brother's hand for dear life.

Renly felt a small pang of sadness as he recalled the fond way Stannis had teased him not to be a baby, holding onto him tightly nonetheless as he sat down in the nook and let Renly scramble into his lap.

Renly had loved Stannis once, the Stannis that had protected Renly during the siege and held Renly in his arms until his sobs of hunger and fright subsided. That Stannis was probably still in there somewhere, but if he was unfortunately he was hiding behind the bitter cunt Stannis had become ever since Robert had given Storm's End to Renly.

Renly turned to his squire, who also seemed to be deep in though as he gazed out at the dark night sky. Renly wondered if he too was thinking about his family; he mentioned them constantly and Renly knew Loras was particularly close with his little sister by the adoring way he said her name.

"Margaery would love this." Loras said suddenly, as if reading his mind.

Renly smiled at his squire. "Do you miss your family, Loras?" He asked.

Loras nodded and for a split second Renly thought Loras' eyes might have been filled with tears, but then Loras shook himself and looked away from Renly as if he didn't want him to see. Renly wasn't surprised; Loras was clearly quite a prideful little thing.

"I miss my sister and brothers." Loras said. "My Lord." He added as an afterthought.

Something had been making Renly uncomfortable and suddenly he realized what it was. Loras was addressing him the with the appropriate formality and yet it felt strange to be so proper with someone so close to him in age and whom he was quickly beginning to think of as a friend.

"Renly." He said, smiling as his squire gave him a questioning look. "Call me Renly."

Even through the dim light of the torch he saw Loras blush slightly.

"If it please you, m-, I mean Renly." Loras replied, not meeting his gaze.

"Really Loras, we don't have to be so formal with each other. I would like for us to be friends." He said.

Loras opened his mouth to reply but Renly cut him off before he could say anything.

"If would say 'If it please you' again I'm going to push you in the water." Renly warned him in mock annoyance.

Loras only grinned at that, his amber eyes turning almost gold in the warm glow of the torch.

"Don't you have any friends your own age, Renly?" He asked innocently, the wicked gleam in his eyes betraying the sweetness of his tone.

Renly glared at him fiercely, though he could feel a grin spread across his face. He reached forward and shoved Loras lightly in the shoulder. He had only meant to hit him playfully but Loras had scooted closer to the edge and Renly's hand pushed him with a little more force than he had meant. The wicked smile immediately slid off Loras' face as he fell forward, a gasp of surprise escaping his mouth as he hit the icy water.

Renly recovered his surprise and burst out laughing. The Gods knew he himself had either jumped, fell, or been pushed into that very water more times than he could count. It wasn't a very long way to fall and Loras could easily lift himself up from the water onto the ledge.

His laughter quickly subsided however as Loras' head failed to appear above the waves. A cold feeling of dread settled into the pit of his stomach as a horrible thought occurred to him. Highgarden was quite a long way from the ocean. What if the boy didn't know how to swim?

He made to push himself off the ledge to go in after Loras when suddenly his squire's tousled head burst from the water in front of him. Loras was gasping for breath but he seemed steady enough in the water and Renly let out a breath of relief. Loras glared at him and Renly grinned sheepishly. Quite the host he was, sending out overtures of friendship one minute and attempting to drown him the next.

He opened his mouth to apologize when he felt a surprisingly strong hand grab his foot and yank him forward. He hit the icy waves with a splash and struggled to the surface. He looked around for Loras and then suddenly there was a mass of wet curls in his face and he and Loras were wrestling, trying to push each other back under the water, breathless laughter echoing off the cave and even though Renly's lungs were burning he couldn't remember being that happy in a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

On his fourth day at Storm's End the pelting rain eventually gave way to a light mist, and Loras was finally able to begin his squire training. He jumped out of bed almost at the crack of dawn and scarfed down some food as quickly as he could. He didn't bother checking to see if Renly needed anything before making his way down to the training yard; it was still early and Renly would surely still be sleeping.

Loras hadn't been able to practice since his journey from Highgarden, and he had become restless trapped indoors during the storm. As he approached the yard he heard the sounds of fighting before he saw it, and the sound, even though it was only wooden practice swords and not steel, still made his heart beat faster as a grin spread across his face. This was what he was good at. This was what he was born to do, and he was itching to show off his skills. Seeing the impressed looks the squires and Master at Arms back at Highgarden would throw him as he showed off was almost as fun as actually fighting. He knew his grandmother would chastise him for boasting if she could read his mind, and yet a part of him wondered if she hadn't been doing exactly that his whole life.

He was greeted by the Master at Arms as he arrived in the yard. Loras recognized the formidable-looking man as Renly had already pointed him out to Loras; evidently, Renly had had a similar conversation with the Master at Arms.

It was early morning still and the training yard was almost deserted, a light fog blurring the sparring figures and giving them an almost surreal aspect. Loras saw only a few squires practicing with wooden swords, while a lone knight aimed arrow after arrow at a target board under the watchful eye of the Master at Arms.

He picked up a sword and approached the other squires slowly, seizing up their strengths and weaknesses. Although, Loras thought smugly, they definitely seemed to have more of the latter. Two boys a little older than Loras were fighting each other, if fighting was such a word for it, while another was throwing jabs at a dummy rather aggressively but without skill or grace.

Loras went to grab a practice sword and approached the squire, who turned on his heels at the sound of his footsteps. He looked to be about Loras' age, though quite taller, and had quite a curious appearance with a shock of messy ginger hair and long, awkward limbs. He looked at Loras suspiciously for a minute, clearly wondering who he was.

"Who are you?" He asked uncertainly. There was a slight wariness in his eyes and Loras realized this particular squire had probably ended up as the butt of one too many jokes in his life.

"I'm Loras. Lord Renly's new squire." Loras said, laughing as recognition and envy filled the boy's bright blue eyes.

Loras had quickly learned that Lord Renly was adored by his people and that being his squire was a much desired position. Loras had to agree with them; after only several days Lord Renly had already all but shattered Loras' previous opinions of him. Although he had only spent a few days with Renly, in their short time together Loras had been privy to all the different facets of Renly's personality, from the flawless charm that everyone saw to the carefree and mischievous side that had shocked Loras at first. He had been pleasantly surprised when Renly had suggested that they be friends, and he had already all but forgotten his resentment over being sent to Storm's End.

"You're lucky. I'd much rather squire for Lord Renly than Ser Nolan." The boy said slightly bitterly. "I'm Casper, by the way."

"So," Loras began. "Would you like to have a go at me?" He grinned wickedly and raised his sword into position.

Casper looked at him reluctantly for a few moments before seemingly coming to the decision that refusing would not be looked upon well. He came to stand in front of Loras and the two began to circle each other. Casper eventually took the first swing and Loras blocked it easily. He continued to meet his opponent's swings as the taller boy took awkward shots at him. There was strength behind Casper's swings but his aim was careless and easily predictable. Loras was starting to get bored when he saw a figure clad in black approaching the yard. He knew who it was even without a second look.

As Casper aimed his sword at his shoulder Loras ducked down and dodged the sword with quick feet, smirking when he saw the surprise on Casper's face as his sword sliced through thin air. He took advantage of his opponent's momentary disorientation to bring his sword down hard against his side, sending Casper sprawling to the ground.

"Yield! I Yield!" The squire cried out as soon as he hit the ground.

Loras turned around as he heard a burst of laughter accompanied by applause, and there was Renly, beaming at him and clapping with enthusiasm. Loras grinned and helped Casper to his feet before making his way over to his Lord.

"Were you showing off for me?" Renly asked him, mischief glimmering in his eyes the color of the ocean.

Loras smiled wickedly. "I was waiting for a proper partner to do that." He said innocently.

Renly chuckled. "Are you suggesting something?" He asked.

Loras only shrugged and looked pointedly around the nearly deserted training yard. "Unless you had someone better in mind."

Renly smirked at him and went to get a practice sword from the shed. Loras remembered that the main reason he had dreaded coming to Storm's End was Renly's lack of prowess as a fighter, but he wasn't about to go easy on him just become he had decided not to hate him.

They circled around each other for so long Loras began to feel anxious, but he wanted Renly to strike first in order to get a hint of his skill. As if reading his mind, Renly swung fast towards his chest; Loras blocked the hit before swinging for Renly's side. Renly met his sword and struck again, this time aiming low.

A crowd began to gather around them as the squires and the lone knight came to watch them spar. After all, it probably wasn't everyday that you saw the Lord of Storm's End fighting his squire.

They continued their back-and-forth game until Loras had to admit that maybe Renly wasn't completely useless with a sword. Renly's shots were powerful and well-aimed, and Loras had to work considerably harder than he had with Casper. However, Loras quickly discovered Renly's weakness; he fought on the offensive without sizing up his partner's strengths and weaknesses, and his reflexes were slow.

Renly was considerably taller than Loras, which meant that he could aim higher and with more strength than Loras. However, Loras was fast, and aiming high left Renly's entire lower body unprotected. As he saw Renly swing upwards he quickly struck a blow across Renly's hips, sending him stumbling sideways. Before Renly could regain his composure Loras had stepped sideways and brought his sword down hard across the back of Renly's knees. Renly's sword flew out of his hand and he toppled forward on his hands and knees. Loras brought the blunt tip of his sword to rest on the back of Renly's neck.

"Do you yield, my Lord?" He asked.

"I yield." Renly mumbled before scrambling to his feet.

"Well fought." He said, grinning sheepishly at Loras. He looked impressed but also slightly embarrassed, which wasn't surprising; he had just been bested by a squire four years his junior.

"Mace Tyrell was right about this one!" A voice boomed behind Loras. Loras turned around and saw the Master at Arms looking at him with interest.

"That he was, Ser Bryen!" Renly agreed.

"In fact, I dare say if you met this one in battle your only option would be to run, my Lord!" Ser Bryen said before letting out a deep, booming laugh.

Loras chuckled and turned to look at Renly, and was met with that mischievous grin that Loras had come to learn meant trouble. Just as he began to realize what was happening Renly had turned on his heel and sprinted across the training yard, with Loras in close pursuit. It was a childish game for boys their age and especially for the Lord of Storm's End but still Loras couldn't help but laugh as he ran as fast as he could after Renly, stumbling over the rocky terrain.

Renly had longer legs but Loras was fast and he managed to keep Renly in sight. All of a sudden Renly stopped dead in his tracks and leaned forward to put his hands on his knees. Loras slowed to a walk as he approached him, but stopped a few yards behind him as Renly whirled around. Loras had no time to react as Renly charged forward and slammed into him, throwing him up over his shoulder and sprinting back towards the way they had come. The force of the impact had knocked all the air out of his lungs and Loras gasped for breath, Renly's laughter vibrating against his chest as he was carried rather ungracefully back to the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

Renly smiled idly as he strolled towards the practice yard, enjoying the warm sunshine on his face. It was a rare treat at Storm's End and he hadn't even attempted to attend to any official duties, pressing or not, before heading outside to enjoy the weather.

With Loras having thrown himself into practice at the training yard he had quite forgotten his promise to show him the top of the battlements, and with this weather the opportunity was too good to pass up. He had no doubt too that Loras would have bounded out of bed at the crack of dawn to take advantage of the sunny weather, which, apart from his family, was one of the things Renly knew he missed most about Highgarden. Indeed even from afar he could still make out the mop of curly hair, shining almost gold in the sunshine. Loras was practicing archery, something he enjoyed far less than sword fighting and jousting and yet was still rather good at. Renly wondered if there was anything Loras would fail at if he tried it. Other than obeying authority, that is, he thought with a chuckle.

Over the last few months Loras had quickly turned from being Renly's squire to being his friend and companion, something Renly had no complaints about. Besides, with his insubordinate and feisty nature Loras made a much better friend than he did a squire. The jests whispered under his breath and the looks he would throw Renly made him laugh harder than he had in his life. To his credit though, Loras did check in on Renly most mornings to bring him food and hot water for a bath, and to ask if he needed help with his clothing, something Renly usually refused. Renly was pleased by the offer but he found the whole concept of having someone so close to him in age and whom he considered his friend dressing and undressing him to be a little unsettling.

He came to stand next to Ser Bryen, who was standing with his arms crossed as he watched Loras aim his arrow at a target. The Master at Arms had taken quite an interest in Loras, unsurprisingly, as the boy had bested Renly in swordplay during his first week at Storm's End.

"He's quite good, your little squire, my Lord." Ser Bryen commented casually, to which Renly could only chuckle. It was quite the understatement and yet it was as much of a compliment as one would ever get from the Master at Arms.

Just then Loras released his arrow and it hit the target only a few inches from the center. Renly saw Loras' shoulders slump in disappointment as he slowly turned around, as if he knew he was being watched. He looked wary for a moment, and then smiled broadly as his eyes landed on Renly. With a slight smirk Loras turned back to the target and aimed his arrow at the target once more.

"Although, my Lord, I dare say it would do him some good to be knocked down a few pegs!" Ser Bryen said gruffly.

"Yes, he does quite like to show off, does he not?" Renly said with amusement. While he knew Loras' antics probably annoyed Ser Bryen to no end, Renly only found them amusing. Furthermore, it was obvious that Loras did not care one bit what people thought of him, and so the fact that he always made a point to show off when he knew Renly was watching was quite flattering.

A flock of pigeons suddenly flew over the yard and to Renly's surprise, Loras raised his bow to the sky and released his arrow. The birds sped away in fright as one unfortunate animal dropped to the ground with a thump, Loras' arrow having pierced him straight in the belly.

Loras whipped around and beamed at Renly as several people, including Ser Bryen, stared at him in shock.

"Hey Renly! Supper is ready!" Loras exclaimed, bursting out into laughter.

Renly felt a burning desire to laugh and yet managed to keep it down. By now everyone was aware that Loras called him by his name but somehow, judging by the horrified look on Ser Bryen's face, that knowledge had escaped the Master at Arms. Renly heard Ser Bryen take a deep breath and Renly quickly figured he should get Loras out of there fast before things got messy.

"Loras!" He called to his squire. "Come with me."

He had tried to use the most commanding tone he could yet it proved quite ineffective, Loras only looking at him in confusion before putting down his bow and walking over to him. Renly grabbed his upper arm and dragged him away forcefully, aware of Loras' questioning eyes looking up at him. Once they were out of sight of the training yard, he let go of Loras' arm, and the younger boy turned to look at him angrily.

"I'm sorry," Renly began sheepishly as he saw Loras rubbing his upper arm gingerly. "I didn't mean to cause you harm, but you should be more careful with Ser Bryen. He's…set in his ways, and he'll expect you to act a certain way around me."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Loras said. "My Lord." He finished, his voice flat and unreadable.

Renly sighed. He had seen from his observation of the training yard that Loras had quite a temper and so this passive aggressive reaction was not what he had expected.

"Don't be like that Loras. You know I had to do that." He said imploringly. Loras only looked down at the ground and scuffed his boot along the rocky ground in silence. Renly contemplated for a second how odd it was that it was he, the Lord of Storm's End, who was asking forgiveness from his squire, and not the other way around.

"Whatever." Loras mumbled reluctantly, clearly still quite irritated and unwilling to admit Renly was right.

"Come, I really do have something to show you." Renly said, laughing under his breath as he saw Loras' eyes light up despite his resentment.

Renly smiled as he led Loras back to the castle and began to feel his squire's irritation melt away as curiosity took over. Ever since their second night together, when he had shown Loras the cave, Renly knew that Loras' sense of adventure was stronger than any anger or melancholy he could be feeling.

As he entered the castle Renly walked along the perimeter of the exterior wall until he found the doorway he was looking for, flanked by two guards who nodded at him respectfully as he approached. He slipped inside, followed closely by Loras, and proceeded up the steep, curving staircase. It had been a while since he'd been up here and he had forgotten quite how long the climb was. He could hear Loras panting behind him, clearly struggling to keep up with Renly's longer legs.

The air was stuffy and damp inside the cramped stairwell, and Renly was glad for the burst of fresh air as they emerged into the bright sunlight. He went to lean against the parapet, listening to the crashing waves discernible even 150 feet up as they were. It was the best view one could get on Storm's End, Renly thought; Shipbreaker's Bay to the east, the Rainwood and bleak mountains to the south and west and the faint outline of the Kingswood to the north. He used to come up here for hours when he was a child, sitting right in the crenels of the parapet and staring out at the sea. Ser Cortnay had eventually found his hiding spot after ordering every member of the castle to go search for him.

He smiled fondly at the memory and turned towards Loras. To his surprise, Loras was deliberately standing in the middle of the walkway, eyeing the gaps in the low wall rather warily.

"Are you frightened of heights, Loras?" He asked teasingly. He knew that Loras despised being teased and yet he couldn't resist the temptation. Something about the way Loras' cheeks flushed pink and his jaw would clench never failed to amuse Renly.

Sure enough, Loras glared at him angrily. "I'm not frightened of anything." He mumbled. "It's just a long way to fall isn't it?"

That was such a Loras thing to say that Renly could only laugh and grab his arm again, gently this time, to bring him closer to the parapet. He moved his hand to rest on Loras' shoulder as he pointed north-east with the other.

"That's Evenfall Hall. You can see the outline of it sometimes on very clear days."

"Have you been?" Loras asked. "I hear it's supposed to be quite beautiful." Despite his words Loras' tone made it clear that in his mind no place could ever be as beautiful as Highgarden.

"I have, actually. I went on a short tour right before my fourteenth birthday." Renly answered. "The ocean shines like sapphires and there are waterfalls everywhere you look." Renly grimaced though as he remembered one particularly odd development during his stay.

"Lord Selwyn is quite something though. He kept pushing his daughter at me as if she was a plate of sweets I should have a second look at." He said.

Loras burst out laughing. "And did you? Have a second look, that is?" He asked. His voice was all innocence but by now Renly knew not to be fooled.

"I'm quite used to every Lord and their mother pushing young and not-so-young girls at me and yet she was quite a surprise." He smirked at Loras' questioning look. "She was taller than me, for starters, and almost as broad in the shoulders. Also, she seemed rather more willing to challenge me with a sword than with anything else."

"A bride who can wield a weapon! I'm sorry but that is really not what you need, Renly!" Loras exclaimed before bursting out in laughter.

Renly nudged him playfully in the shoulder before turning back to the sea, partly to hide his embarrassment. Truth be told he found the whole ordeal of having girls paraded before him to be more than uncomfortable, especially considering that he never seemed to be particularly attracted to even the prettiest of them. He tried to push that thought from his mind as quickly as it had come, instead squinting into the distance to try and make out the island in the distance. However, although the sun was shining down over Storm's End, as he looked out at the ocean Renly could see dark clouds approaching from the east.

"There's a storm coming." Loras said, making Renly jump. This wasn't the first occasion where Loras had seemed to read his mind and Renly was beginning to wonder if that was a secret talent of House Tyrell.

"So it seems." Renly agreed. "We should get back. I expect Ser Bryen will want to have a word with you soon enough."

Loras smirked. "And should I tell him you beat me delirious for my insolence and threatened to throw me off the battlements?"

"Precisely!" Renly agreed. "That should do the trick nicely I reckon." Their laughter echoed against the damp walls of the staircase as they made their way back down the steep, curving steps.

Hours later, Renly sat in his bed, reading a book by candlelight. It was one of the endless books on the history of Westeros that Ser Cortnay kept pushing him to read, and this one proved to be just as dull as the others. The storm rolling in from the sea had just hit the castle and the loud cracks of thunder and the rain pelting against his windows did little to help his concentration. His mind had just started to wander to another book that would keep his attention much more effectively, when a soft knock on the door brought him back to reality.

"Who is it?" He called out, not quite sure who to expect in his chambers at that time of night.

"It's me! Can I come in?" The voice on the other side of the door replied. Renly chuckled; there was only one person in all the seven kingdoms who would have dared respond to him so casually, and either way he would have known that voice anywhere.

"Come in, Loras!" He replied, closing his book and setting it on the table beside his bed.

Loras stepped into his chambers, closing the door behind him softly. He was dressed in linen breeches and a white undershirt, and Renly thought he looked quite different without his usual dazzling green and gold garments.

"Did I wake you?" Loras asked almost shyly.

"Oh not at all, actually you rescued me from the terrible fate of having to read about some Targaryen or other having to marry his sister." Renly chuckled, and yet Loras remained standing awkwardly by the door, averting his eyes and looking down at the ground.

"Why are you not sleeping?" He tried again, this time in genuine concern. He knew his squire was prone to wake up at the crack of dawn to get as much training in as he could and so he must have been exhausted by the time night came.

"It's just…the storm is very loud, and I couldn't fall asleep with the sound of the rain and thunder…" Loras said hesitantly.

Renly felt a sudden warmth of affection for his squire; Loras could pretend to be as tough he as he liked and yet it was moments like these that proved that his curly-haired friend was more of a human being than anyone else Renly had ever known. Loras was brash and arrogant on the surface but when you scraped that away he was unabashedly raw and honest in a way that Renly, who had been brought up with the fake charm of court, found quite unsettling.

"Come." Renly said, patting the sheets next to him.

Loras came to sit on the edge of his bed, still looking quite uncomfortable. Renly couldn't blame him; they often lounged around in his room in the evenings, usually pretending to come up with a response to a raven Renly had received, while really just talking about inconsequential things, but then they were always fully clothed.

"The storm is always quieter here." He mentioned. "The windows are built more thickly."

Renly smiled as he saw Loras nod sleepily; even with his squire's initial discomfort, it seemed he wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere.

Renly reached over and tugged the blankets on Loras' side of the bed open.

"Stay. Get some sleep." He said, leaning over to blow out the candle next to his bed.

From the other side of the bed he felt Loras slide under the blankets, and within what seemed like minutes he heard his breathing shift to the slow cadence of sleep.

Renly though found it harder to fall asleep, his mind wandering to the last time he had shared a bed with someone. He had spent much of the Siege clinging to his older brother and yet this felt quite different, for some reason Renly couldn't quite place.

He was brought out of his reverie when he felt Loras shift in his sleep, the younger boy curling up into a ball and leaning into Renly's back. Renly supposed it was one of those unconscious, affectionate gestures that Loras was used to sharing with his siblings, and yet he couldn't help but tense up slightly. The feeling was far from unpleasant thought; Loras was warm against his back, quite like a cat curling up to sleep. Renly felt himself holding his breath, afraid to move lest he wake the boy sleeping next to him.


	5. Chapter 5

They had been riding for over an hour, the rocky mountains of the Stormlands eventually giving way to the lush greenery of the Kingswood. They had started out at a gallop but slowed to a walk as they entered the shady trail in the forest, their horses' hooves crunching on leaves and brambles.

Loras had always loved to ride and had agreed enthusiastically when Renly suggested the outing, and yet he was relieved to leave the bleak, rocky cliffs behind. He wasn't too fond of heights, something Renly had already guessed of course, and he wasn't keen on the opportunity to have Renly poke fun at him for it. It had been a pleasant ride regardless, and the weather was actually nice for once; a strong breeze sent big, puffy clouds rolling across the sky and was a relief against the warm, damp air. His curiosity was peaked as Renly directed his horse away from the path and into the woods.

"Why are we going this way?" He asked, ducking his head to avoid getting hit in the face by a branch.

"You'll see." Was all the answer he got. Loras rolled his eyes. He should know better by now than to expect a direct answer from Renly.

They rode in the thick underbrush for a while longer, ducking and pushing away at stray branches. Eventually the trees started thinning out, enough so that they could sit straight in the saddle without worrying about getting whipped in the face by a branch. After a few minutes they emerged from the trees into a clearing of sorts, with tall grass and wildflowers brushing their horses' knees. A lone, massive elm tree stood on the edge of a hill, where the ground sloped gracefully down towards the shore. Renly hoped down from his horse, Loras following him and tying his snowy mare next to Renly's dark steed.

"Where are we?" Loras asked as they started walking across the clearing.

"Just a place I found once. I like to come here to think sometimes."

"You think sometimes?" Loras jested, to which he was rewarded with a quite forceful shove in the shoulder. "I take it back!" He exclaimed in mock sincerity.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Renly leading the way through the tall grass. He apparently seemed to come here often, as there appeared to be a sort of trail where the grass was either cut away or trampled down. As they reached the lone tree Renly swiftly plopped himself down, leaning against the gnarled roots that protruded from the earth. The large branches of the ancient tree seemed to sag under their own weight, like the limbs of an old man, creating a large area of shade with their leaves. Loras sank down next to Renly; there had been a cool breeze blowing in the mountains and the forest but here the air was still and the sun was beating down relentlessly.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, looking out at the waves beating softly against the shore. The sea was calm today, its usually towering, crashing waves replaced by a gentle tide. The sound of the waves breaking on the rocks was very peaceful, and combined with the heat, Loras found himself staring out over the water as if in a trance. He couldn't quite figure out what color the water was; it was dark blue when he looked a certain way and green in another, with the sun glittering along the surface. In fact, the whole effect reminded him greatly of Renly, with his blue-green eyes always shining with mischief. Loras felt suddenly slightly embarrassed at the thought that he had just been picturing Renly's eyes, and was quite glad to have the heat as a cover for his flushed cheeks.

Just then the sound of a cork popping made him jump, and he heard Renly laugh softly beside him.

"Sorry. It's easy to doze off here. The Gods know I've spent many an afternoon doing just that!" Renly said, taking a sip from the jug he had apparently hidden in his cloak, before handing it over to Loras.

Loras took it gratefully. He hadn't thought to bring any water, and with the long ride and the heat he was completely parched. He took a long drink from the jug, almost spitting it out as he felt the liquid burn his throat. He felt his cheeks grow hot once more as he coughed uncontrollably, Renly chuckling beside him.

"Careful there!" Renly teased. Loras glared at him before bringing the jug carefully back to his mouth, taking a small sip as Renly had done. The wine was smooth but slightly spicy, and Loras could almost feel it warm his blood as it burned down his throat and into his stomach. Back in Highgarden Loras had been allowed a cup of wine at feasts and special occasions, but in Storm's End he usually chose to stick to water, finding the Dornish wines Renly preferred a bit too strong for his taste.

However, as they passed the jug back and forth the burn eventually disappeared, leaving Loras' fingers and toes tingling pleasantly. He found himself suddenly quite content, smiling out over the ocean and leaning his head back against the roots of the ancient tree. His body felt quite heavy and he couldn't imagine ever having the desire and much less the strength to move.

Renly was prattling on as usual but as they neared the bottom of the jug Loras found he couldn't quite pay attention. His felt a little light-headed, like one of those big, puffy clouds streaming across the sky had suddenly blown into his ear to take over his brain. He stared out over the glittering water idly, Renly's voice a soft buzzing in his ear, like a far-away swarm of bees.

Bees. That was something he didn't miss about Highgarden. They would grow hives as big as melons and their stings hurt something awful. He and his brothers had amused themselves by hunting them as children but had learned their lesson soon enough, upon discovering that bees apparently liked to fight back.

Loras chuckled at the thought but quickly stopped; for some reason the slight movement of his shoulders had set the world in motion and he felt himself rocking back and forth as if he was on top of those waves crashing against the shore below.

Renly's hand on his arm brought him back to earth. "All you alright?" Renly asked, his voice full of concern.

Loras opened his mouth to speak but his face was a little numb and his tongue felt like lead in his mouth.

"Mmm fine." He slurred, feeling a fresh wave of dizziness even as he said it. He pushed himself down clumsily until he was lying flat on his back, closing his eyes and breathing a sigh of relief as the world finally stopped spinning.

"You're drunk!" Renly exclaimed from the darkness above him, chuckling and lying down next to him.

Loras opened his eyes and looked over at Renly lying next to him, his straight, dark hair forming a halo around his head.

"Renly." He began, taking care to enunciate careful. "I'm glad we're friends."

Loras saw the look of surprise in Renly's ocean-colored eyes and he felt his cheeks grow hot for the countless time today. He himself didn't know where that had come from and he realized that that was a very daft thing to say to another boy. He was trying to figure out what to say next when Renly smiled warmly and reached over to poke him playfully in the ribs.

"I'm glad we're friends too. In fact… you're sort of the only friend I've ever had." He said, looking a little bashful. Loras could only snort in disbelief at that. Even through his jumbled brain he realized what a ridiculous idea it was. Everyone from the stable boys at Storm's End to the King himself seemed to adore Renly. He must have said so out loud without realizing it for he heard Renly laughing darkly.

"They respect me and love to serve me, sure. But they don't jest with me, they don't dare beat me at swordplay and they certainly never kill pigeons for me!" He said, nudging Loras slightly.

Suddenly they were both laughing uncontrollably, lying flat on their backs with tears streaming down their faces. As their hilarity began to subside they lay there in silence, staring up at the clouds. After a while a breeze began to blow through the grass, and Loras felt his brain slowly clearing as he took deep breaths of the cool air.

He and Margaery used to spend hours doing exactly this in a peach orchard that had been a favorite of theirs, trying to guess the shapes of clouds as they ate enough of the ripe fruit to give themselves a stomach ache. They would take turns pushing each other down the rolling hills, coming back before supper with their hair matted with mud and grass and their clothes stained with peach juice, much to their parents' consternation.

Loras turned his head to the hill that sloped down towards the shore, and suddenly got an idea. He grabbed at the tree roots around him to help him sit up, quickly realizing that standing would be a bad idea as the world around him started spinning once more. Instead he crawled forward a little on all fours, ignoring Renly's snorts of laughter behind him. As he reached the point where the ground started tilting down he lay back down on his back and started rolling sideways. The hill wasn't very steep and yet he still picked up speed until the grass and sky became a blur of blue and green and his nostrils were filled with the smell of earth.

He came to a stop at the bottom of the hill just where the grass met the rocky shore. He closed his eyes to try and stop the earthquake around him, but when he opened them all he saw was a blur of blue and green, except this time it wasn't the grass and the sky and Loras forgot how to breathe.


	6. Chapter 6

It was another stifling summer day with heavy, humid air that even the cool breeze rolling in off the sea did little to dissipate. Renly was sitting precariously on a large rock at the edge of the water, with his breeches rolled up and his legs dangling in the unusually calm sea.

"I still don't see why you won't just come in the water." Loras said from a few feet in front of him, bobbing up and down in the soft waves like a fish. Renly smiled as he remembered the first time he had seen Loras swim, and how he had worried that the boy would drown. He shouldn't have been surprised that Loras turned out to be such a graceful swimmer; everything Loras attempted was accomplished with that special Highgarden elegance and finesse. It was clearly one of the few things Lady Olenna had been successful at teaching him before his departure.

"I told you. Some of my guests are arriving tonight. Can you imagine their reaction if their Lord was to stroll in with his clothes fully soaked?"

Loras had all but dragged Renly outside the castle after leaving the training yard, insisting that it was a crime akin to high treason to stay inside on one of the few days of sunshine to grace Storm's End. Renly had laughed before dutifully following his squire, wondering not for the first time exactly how this role reversal had happened.

"You know I actually had affairs to attend to today Loras!" He had said even as he followed him down to the rocky shore at the back of the castle. And it was true, for once; tomorrow was his name day, and many of his bannermen were set to arrive to attend the feast and ball that were to be held in his honor.

Loras had only scoffed, not even bothering to reply. Clearly planning name day celebrations were of less importance to Loras than enjoying nice weather. Renly couldn't blame him, though; Loras had lived surrounded by golden sunshine and endless fruit orchards before coming to the Stormlands, so it was useless to try and keep him cooped up inside on a day like this.

"So take them off!" Loras replied, dipping under the water only to resurface a short distance away, grinning wickedly. Renly rolled his eyes at him, even as he looked longingly at the cool water.

Indeed as they reached the shore Loras had wasted no time in taking off his own clothes, stripping down to his small clothes and slipping into the water. As much as Renly had wanted to follow him in, he was a little too painfully aware of exactly how many guards were standing watch over this part of the castle at this very moment. He could only imagine their laughter as they witnessed their Lord stripping to his small clothes to swim alongside his squire.

"Come on!" Loras taunted, rolling onto his back and splashing water at him with his feet. "You're always so _proper_. It's so boring."

"I am not!" Renly laughed, kicking water back towards his squire and missing him by several feet. "I'd come in if there weren't so many guards watching."

It was Loras' turn to roll his eyes as he swam back towards the shore, climbing up onto the rock to stretch out on his back beside Renly.

"How come you're such a good swimmer, anyway?" Renly asked partly to change the subject and partly because he was actually curious. "Last time I checked Highgarden wasn't near the sea."

"No, but we do have lots of ponds." Loras replied, his eyes closed against the sun and his arms stretched out above his head. He had always been a pretty child and indeed he made quite the picture, with his damp curls tumbling around his head like a golden halo. "They're practically the same thing."

Renly scoffed. He was quite sure that the calm ponds of Highgarden and the waters of Shipbreaker's Bay were most definitely not the same thing, but refrained from saying so, knowing how affronted Loras would be at any insult to his beloved home.

Renly lay back on the rock beside Loras, bracing his head on his arms and looking up at the clouds moving idly about the deep blue sky. It was really quite peaceful, with the waves sending sprays of cool water on his bare feet and the breeze cooling his heated skin. He would have been quite content to simply lay there forever and forget all about his Lordship duties. Someone else could attend to those petty matters while he and Loras basked in the sunshine and picked out shapes in the clouds.

"That one looks like a cat." He said, pointing to a fluffy cloud with distinctly pointy ears and whiskers.

"You think everything looks like a cat." Loras said beside him, his eyes still closed.

Renly chuckled. "I think _you_ look like a cat." He said in amusement. He knew that it annoyed Loras to no end when he mentioned it, but there was something decidedly catlike about the way Loras would perch in windowsills and slink soundlessly through corridors. His mood swings were quite feral, as well; he could be perfectly docile one minute and quivering with rage the next. Renly turned his head to look fondly at his squire; reaching out to tug at one of his corkscrew curls and watching it spring back into shape.

"You're very annoying sometimes, you know." Loras mumbled, leaning his head away from Renly's fingers. Renly did know; in fact, annoying Loras was a particularly favorite pastime of his.

"Then why haven't you gone home yet?" He jested, nudging Loras in the ribs with his elbow.

"Because I want to be a knight." Loras replied simply, opening his eyes and looking up at the sky with a slight smirk on his face. No doubt he was thinking about exactly how marvelous a knight he would make, breaking many a man's bones and even more maidens' hearts.

After a few minutes it was Loras' turn to point up to the sky. "That one looks like a cock." He said merrily.

Renly burst out in laughter before following Loras' finger to the aforementioned cloud. He looked at it carefully, tilting his head this way and that to try and see what Loras saw.

"Looks more like a pigeon to me!" He said after a while.

It was Loras' turn to laugh. "Do you have something strange going on down there?" He jeered. "Is that why you're so uncomfortable every time I catch you in your small clothes?"

"Be serious." Renly replied, even as he flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"But it's true! And that time I walked in on you in the bath you turned almost as red as you are now!" Loras continued, clearly enjoying tormenting Renly.

"Maybe I just appreciate my privacy, all right? I am entitled to that." Renly mumbled, hoping Loras would leave it at that. Unfortunately, it seemed Loras had other ideas. He rolled onto his stomach, propping his head up on his hand and looking down at Renly.

"Are you that shy when you're with girls too?" He asked thoughtfully.

Renly felt his face grow hot. He had been dreading this conversation with Loras, and indeed had considered it a small miracle that they had gone this long without talking about it. They talked about that kind of thing, of course, but always hypothetically; Loras had never asked specifically about his experience, or lack thereof, with women.

"What do you mean?" Renly asked in what he hoped what a sincere voice.

Loras chuckled. "You know what I mean!"

Renly was quiet for a few moments before answering, somewhat reluctantly. "I haven't lain with a woman, if that's what you're asking."

As Renly had expected, Loras was quiet for a few seconds before bursting out in laughter. His laughter was caught short, however, when Renly's expression didn't change.

"But you must have." Loras said incredulously. "You're ten and six. And…you're you! Women throw themselves at you."

"Yes, well. That doesn't mean I throw myself at _them_. And I'm still ten and five, until tomorrow." Renly replied defensively. The conversation was going just as he had thought it would and yet it was even more painfully awkward than he had imagined. "Besides," He continued, "you would know if I had women coming and going from my chambers. You burst in every morning and most evenings without knocking, remember?"

Loras pondered that for a minute, to Renly's amusement. Once Loras had made up his mind about something, little things like facts or evidence mattered little.

"Still, you must have kissed plenty?" Loras asked, his tone now laced with uncertainty.

"Sure, a few." Renly replied. In truth they had been nothing more than chaste kisses given to particularly forward girls, none of which had enticed him to go any further with them. A part of him still hoped that he had not met the right girl yet, that some men were simply not as generous with their affections as, say, Robert was. But a bigger part of him suspected that wasn't true, and that the images that flowed through his mind when he slipped his hand inside his small clothes at night were not innocent at all.

"What about you, though? I'm sure you've had your share of conquests." Renly asked suddenly, eager to shift the focus away from himself.

"No." Loras answered simply. "I kissed a girl, once, before leaving Highgarden. She was a serving girl and I fancied myself in love with her. I think I even asked her to marry me once, but I can't quite remember."

Renly chuckled. Only Loras would have the courage to ask a girl to marry him at the age of ten.

"No one here, though? Are the ladies of Storm's End not pleasing enough?" He teased.

"Evidently no more than they are to you!" Loras jested back. "Maybe your luck shall change tomorrow, though." He continued. "Maybe some girl will succeed in giving you a name day present!" Renly did his best to laugh along with Loras, all the while cringing and desperately hoping he was wrong.

That evening, at supper, Renly did his best to let go of his earlier discomfort. Several of his bannermen who had longer journeys to travel to Storm's End had arrived a day early, and the dining hall was filled with the sounds of laughter and merriment.

One guest in particular had caused quite a stir, much to Renly's consternation; Lord Selwyn had arrived along with his daughter, Brienne. The two years that had passed since Renly had seen her had not been very kind; in fact, even though he was quite fond of her, Renly couldn't really blame the other guests, Loras included, for sniggering as she entered the hall. She was taller than most men and positively towered over all the women, and the short style in which she wore her hair did little to add to her lack of femininity. She was now just as broad in the shoulders as Renly, and though he considered himself quite tall, she easily stood at eye level with him.

She was quite good company though, and Renly was quite amused to find that soon after being seated next to Loras, the two spend the majority of the meal deep in conversation about sword fighting and jousting techniques. At one point, though, Renly caught Loras staring at him with a positively evil grin on his face that made his heart sink. That kind of smile on Loras could only mean trouble, and Renly hoped whatever Loras had planned wouldn't be too humiliating for Brienne. He tried to shake his head subtly, which only made Loras smile broader. Renly was just beginning a list of compensations to Lord Selwyn for whatever was about to happen to his daughter, when she suddenly rose and bid them goodnight, claiming she was tired from the journey.

Renly followed suit soon after, although not before insisting that his guests stay and enjoy the wine a bit longer. They had travelled far, and he couldn't blame them for wanting to decompress after hours on horseback. Renly knew he should get some rest, however, if he was to be at his best to greet the rest of his bannermen in the morning.

He was walking along the deserted corridor when he heard footsteps behind him; he turned, and grinned as he saw Loras' curls bouncing as he ran to catch up. He slowed his step and soon they were walking side-by-side through the dim, humid hallways.

"She's quite nice, your maiden of Tarth." Loras commented, his face blank.

"_My _maiden of Tarth?" Renly asked incredulously. He suddenly had a bad feeling that this had something to do with Loras' evil grin from earlier, but refrained from saying anything in case Loras had already forgotten about it.

"Yes. You made quite an impression on her when you visited Tarth, you know. She's quite enamored with you." Loras said with a chuckle.

"Here I thought you two were talking about the best way to knock a man off his horse." Renly muttered darkly. It was bad enough that Lord Selwyn was trying to push them together, but Brienne having feelings for him was infinitely worst.

"Well yes, that as well, but mostly you." Loras slowed his step as they approached Renly's chambers. "So, goodnight then!" He grinned and turned to walk towards his own chambers.

"Goodnight!" Renly called in confusion. Most evenings after supper Loras would join him in his chambers for a while, either perching on his windowsill with his legs dangling out or else lounging at the foot of his bed looking bored while Renly picked out his clothes for the next day. He supposed Loras must be tired tonight, however, and simply shrugged before opening the door to his chambers.

Renly closed the door behind him and quickly stopped in his tracks at what he saw. Brienne, wearing nothing but an undershirt and skirt made of the palest ivory silk was sitting at the foot of his bed, her dress discarded on the floor next to her. She smiled as she saw him, and stood up, walking uncertainly towards him.

Renly cleared his throat. "Brienne!" He said, immediately kicking himself for sounding so enthusiastic.

"Renly." She replied, coming to a stop right in front of him.

Renly swallowed thickly as she placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned forward. He turned his head to the side just as her lips were about to brush his, and placed a hand on her arm to push her away gently.

"I…I'm sorry." He stammered, staring at the floor. "You're lovely, it's just…" He didn't quite know what else to say, and instead lifted his head up to look at her.

"Oh." Was all she managed to say, backing away from him quickly.

Renly instantly felt bad; clearly this wasn't the kind of thing she usually did, and here he was, turning her away so coldly.

"Really, Brienne, it's nothing to do with you, it's…" He searched desperately for words that would not come as he watched Brienne's face turn a deeper shade of red as she hurriedly put her dress back on. He settled for giving her one last apologetic look as she rushed towards the door, pulling it open and slamming it shut without looking back.

Renly let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding, the air rushing in and out of his lungs shakily as he shut his eyes and tried desperately to forget what had just happened.


End file.
